I crawled out of my tent with a yawn. No alarm, no nightmares, and no Alice clamoring for breakfast... how long did I sleep? I chanced a look at the sky before remembering I had no idea how to read the sun's position. Oh well, It wasn't already getting dark again, good enough.
Since Alice wasn't here, I didn't bother with cooking, helping myself to some leftovers instead before packing up the campsite... leftovers of the Sutherland Inn buffet, that is. No way I would waste something as precious as the original Luka's cooking, and I probably couldn't make enough food for there to be leftovers if I tried at this point. I was reasonably certain Alice's stomach had a higher capacity than all my pots and pans combined. Despite sneaking some food into my Inventory for later, I still didn't make nearly as much of a dent in that food pile as she did.
...Honestly, I was almost proud I left it at that and didn't resort to being the guy that nabs towels and soap despite my RPG hoarding habit being a constant devil on my shoulder. Part of it being able to satisfy my urge was probably the sheer variety of food on display. They even had ice cream; I don't how, but they did. Maybe ice stones and the counterparts of other elements still existed in this world but weren't as prevalent as in Paradox, being more of a luxury item. It was about the only reasonable explanation I could come up with.
With everything collected and the fire pit filled in, I was ready to embark. It was kind of surprising Alice wasn't back yet, but maybe she just got entangled in something at the castle. And she did say I could go on without her... which was kind of strange, coming to think of it. Did she realize the bandits were harmless? Hah, she probably hadn't returned yet because she couldn't bear to watch as she lost our bet. Even better, if Alice managed to notice them, they had to be close.
With that in mind, I optimistically resumed my exploration of the mountain range. Yet despite that optimism, I made sure to examine my surroundings with no small amount of wariness. It was unlikely for there to be other monsters in their territory, but that was no reason to take undue risks, especially not now without an early warning system or any chance for a timely rescue if I did succumb.
Fortunately, my theory was soon proven to be all but confirmed not even half an hour later.
"Yay, gimme all your money!" A small goblin shouted as she jumped out in front of me. Somehow, she managed to appear utterly non-threatening, even with her tribal outfit, horned helmet, and a warhammer taller than herself. Even as heavy as a hit from that thing would be, it probably made her less dangerous than without it. She could likely run circles around me if she didn't have to lug that weight around.
I let out a breath. "Finally!"
"Huh?"
"Err, never mind that," I waved her off. "Please go on."
She looked confused for a moment before seemingly deciding to ignore my strange exclamation. She proudly puffed out her nonexistent chest. "Ehehe, I am Gob, the super strong Goblin Bandit of Earth of the Four Heavenly Bandits. You better give me your stuff if you don't wanna get clobbered!"
"...Why do you even want money? It's not like you can go into towns and buy stuff," I asked, keeping myself from commenting on the over-the-top nickname.
She blinked. "That's, uhh... Who cares! Just gimme!"
Huh, so they didn't have any actual use for it beyond maybe giving the little dragon a fledgling hoard, only taking it as part of their bandit play otherwise. Actually, did dragons even hoard gold in this world? Questions for later, I suppose.
Her stomach growled. "...And your food, too, while you're at it!" She demanded, her voice now more desperation than menace, not that it had been particularly menacing to begin with.
Hmm, I was only three days off schedule for this side quest. Was that enough for them to run out of food? If all of them were that hungry, it may be possible to get through this without being forced to bully them into submission. They were fairly bratty at this point, so I likely wouldn't lose sleep over it, but I still wasn't overly eager to make a bunch of little girls cry.
...If only I should be that lucky.
"Wait..." She narrowed her eyes at me, looking me over, her gaze lingering on my head. "Ah, you're that stinky hero Boss told us about!" She shouted with a finger pointed at me.
"...Excuse me?" I stared at her blankly. Did the exaggerated rumors of my encounter with Granberia make it to them? Not impossible, but... no, that wasn't it. To begin with, even if the little dragon was the strongest out of them, she held no true leadership position among them. The bandits didn't have a boss. Who could possibly...
...Amira. That damn snake, I knew she didn't like me, but to think she would go so far as to scam the bandits into making her their boss. What did she even hope to accomplish? She had the power level of a gag character and not precisely the One Punch Man variant. Her only powers were breaking the fourth wall, negative levels of sex appeal, and... retrieving plot items...
Crap. If she got a source of elemental energy for these tykes, this could go south in a heartbeat. I stood no chance against their enhanced forms yet.
"Boss said I shouldn't talk to you, or you'd give my brain a bath." She glared at me, tightly grasping her hammer with both hands. Wonderful, of all the times for a monster child to suddenly decide to heed Stranger Danger as opposed to being the Stranger Danger.
I raised my hands placatingly. "No need for us to fight; I'll even make some food for you if you want."
"Nuh-uh, not listening; I don't wanna get soap stuffed in my ears! I'll just take your stuff after beating you up!" She raised her hammer, staggering slightly from the weight, and slowly began inching toward me.
...Ever so slowly...
"Earth Crashing Goblin!" She yelled, closing her eyes as she swung the hammer, and it swung her in turn. To her credit, the attack did actually cause a crashing noise as the hammer impacted the ground, followed shortly by herself. Too bad I wasn't there anymore by the time it landed, having had enough time to leisurely stroll a few meters to the side.
"You done?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not... Yet." She rose groggily and took a moment to shake away her dizziness. "Feel the power of the Heavenly Bandit of Earth!" She bent down to scoop up a handful of sand and threw it at me, almost falling over again in the process.
With a step backward, most of it spluttered uselessly against my chest, the remainder warded off with a hand protecting my face.
"...So that's how it's going to be, huh? Very well." I casually approached the child and raised my hand above her head. I wasn't much taller than her, but it would do. "If you want to play dirty with me... I am afraid you really will need a bath." And with that declaration, I unloaded the entire ninety-nine stack of earth from my Inventory on Gob as she looked at me quizzically. The small goblin disappeared from view as a mound of soil covered her.
...Don't judge me. It's literally lying around for free everywhere; why wouldn't I take it? Unfortunately, dropping items on someone like this was about the greatest extent the Inventory could be used for combat purposes. I had already tried everything I could think of back in Iliasville, but it stubbornly refused to be exploited beyond being a convenience.
Just as I began growing worried, she came crawling out, spitting and sputtering as some of the dirt had gotten into her mouth.
"Why do you even have so much of that stuff with you?" She asked, defeated and close to tears.
I let out a disappointed-sounding sigh. "The better question is, why don't you? For one who seeks to master the earth, to not even carry some of it with them... you truly have much to learn, young Gob."
She looked at me with wide eyes as if I'd bestowed some manner of transcendent wisdom on her. Slowly, she got on her knees and pressed her forehead against the ground. "Please teach me your ways, Master!"
I blinked. Okay, that was... not where I expected this to go. Man, this girl was gullible. If the others were just as naive, it was no wonder Amira was able to exploit them.
I hesitated at the thought of continuing. Gob didn't seem to have anything to receive a powerup from, but the others might due to Amira, and a battle in that case would be hopeless. But if I turned back now, I wouldn't get the Red Orb, and worse, Alice would win our bet. There was no telling what kind of depraved or humiliating acts she would have me perform.
...I would continue for now. If Amira wanted me dead, she wouldn't have picked minions as nonlethal as these girls. She was probably merely having a good laugh at my expense... or so I hoped.
"I will... think about it. For now, why don't you show me where the others are hiding?" I asked my... prospective disciple? That was certainly a bizarre thought. I would have to find a way to let her down gently; I was not cut out to be a teacher.
She practically jumped to her feet. "Right this way, Master." She barely made it three steps before her stomach rumbled again, and she slumped over. "Uuuh, my tummy hurts."
"...Want a muffin?" I held out the offered treat to her. It wouldn't do much, but it would hopefully be enough to bridge the gap. I would ensure they got a proper meal once all this was over.
She perked up, greedily eying the pastry before snatching it and shoving it into her mouth. It was gone in seconds. She sniffed and looked at me with teary eyes. "Boss was totally wrong about you. You're a really good guy!" She cried, before wrapping me in a surprisingly strong hug.
"It's... fine, really." I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck, not being quite sure what to do. I would have pet her head but... horned helmet. I probably would have taken retaliation damage if I tried.
She sniffed once more... and then again. "Huh, you actually smell kinda nice. Are you really a Hero?"
...Aaand now it's gotten weird. I pried her off as gently as I could, hopefully before she got any ideas. "Enough of that. The others?"
"Ah, right!" She shouted, having apparently wholly forgotten. "This way!"
She led me to a small cave opening in the mountain. The average adult would have had to bow down to get through, but the cavern inside became slightly more extensive. "In here, right?" I received an enthusiastic nod in response. "Okay, one more thing. That boss of yours... it's a snake monster, isn't it?" I asked, hoping to confirm my theory.
Gob's eyes widened a bit as she gasped in amazement. "Whoa, how did you know?"
...As I thought then.
Not long after entering the cave, we encountered the second bandit. A tiny Lamia, Teeny, I believe her name was.
She rapidly turned around, making her long purple ponytail flutter. Her green snake tail angrily flicked against the ground as she caught sight of us, her slitted eyes homing in on my companion. "Damnit, Gob, you got dirty again!? Don't think I won't make you wash your own clothes if you keep this up!"
"...Sorry," Gob sheepishly apologized.
"Wait..." her gaze flickered between me and Gob, only now realizing my presence. "And you betrayed us too!?"
"I didn't betray you, but Master is actually really nice!" Gob insisted.
Teeny silently mouthed the word 'master' in repetition, and her eyes shot open. "The Hero got Gob!" She shouted back into the cave. ...Oh, right, they were thinking I was brainwashing people. Having her call me that probably looked pretty bad.
She glared at me. "I, the Heavenly Bandit of Water, will squeeze you until you release your hold on my friend!"
"I didn't do anything. That's all her, I swear!" I shook my hands in denial.
"I don't want to hear your lies!" She jumped up at me and coiled her tail around my upper body. "If you want to wash something so badly, we have plenty of laundry and dishes, do those instead and let Gob go!"
I sighed and looked over at said goblin. "Can't you say something?"
She blinked at my request before her hands shot into the air. "You can get her, Master!" she cheered. I groaned, more so at Gob's complete inability to read the mood rather than Teeny's tightening coils.
Teeny kept squeezing as I was deep in thought, trying to figure out how to solve this situation. "A bit more to the left," I said almost unconsciously.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
"Hmm, like this?" She asked, shifting her body slightly.
I let out a relieved grunt as her unwitting massage continued. "Yeah, that hits the spot."
She froze when she actually registered what I said. "You're supposed to writhe in agony, not enjoy this!" She unentangled herself, choosing to instead vainly hammer her tiny fists against my chest, tears running down her face. "Let Gob go, damn it!"
I grimaced. This was even worse than I thought it might end up being. I softly caught her hands. "Look, I really didn't do anything. And even if I did, you did all you could, right? Why not leave me to your other friends for now?"
She hiccuped and stared glassy daggers at me. "F-fine. Even if you manage to get past Vanilla and Papi, our new boss will beat you up; she's super strong!"
Super strong? Just how much did Amira manage to bamboozle these kids? I would certainly have some choice words for her when this was done with.
"And you," I pointed at Gob, my shoulders slumped. "Please stop calling me Master; I have yet to accept you as a disciple, and it's only making things worse... actually, it's probably best for you to stay here for now."
I turned around and continued trudging deeper into the cave, hearing a dispirited "Aww." behind me.
"Surprise attack!" A voice called out from ahead of me barely half a minute later as a swarm of chibified bats began fluttering past me. I made to dodge, but then my gaze fell on the hard stony floor. My feet stopped.
I felt a soft impact on my back as the little vampire, Vanilla, latched onto me, and her blonde twintails briefly swung into view. A triumphant cry resounded right next to my ear. "Hah, got you!" She wasted no time in starting to nibble on the spot between my neck and my left shoulder, but her undeveloped fangs failed to draw blood, only spreading a bit of slobber.
I carefully lifted her off me by her black mantle, the only thing covering her other than panties, and tenderly deposited her back onto the ground. The dreadful invasive thought of suplexing the loli that appeared as I was holding her had been banished in an instant, but its mere existence, no matter how brief, made me feel even worse.
"Wha— You can't just do that!" She pouted. "Fine, if that won't work, I'll use my special attack! Here, look into my eyes!" the blonde vampire demanded.
"Sure," I agreed readily; I was already trying my darndest not to look anywhere inappropriate. These kids seriously needed more clothes. But I wasn't about to fall for her trick. "Oh hey, is that Alma Elma over there?" I asked, pointing at the wall behind her. Obviously a lie; if she was actually here, I'd... play dead? No, that would only result in a far too intensive CPR session. Damn, I still couldn't think of anything.
"Where!?" She turned around, and the wall briefly illuminated in a flash of light. For a moment, there was silence, which was then interrupted by quiet sobs as her shoulders shook. She spun back to me. "Why are you so mean?"
"I could ask you the same," I returned with a face of steel. Unlike just about everything else that's happened today, I felt no remorse for this little lie... Well, okay, maybe a little.
"Weren't you about to do the same thing you girls accused me of doing? To hypnotize me into being unable to resist and then doing whatever you wanted to me?" Never mind the fact that Eye Magic was quite ineffective when faced with a higher-level target than yourself, so it probably wouldn't have worked in the first place. "Taking someone's will from them is a terrible thing to do, you know."
"...sorry," she sniffed.
I put a hand on her shoulder and looked into her moist eyes. "Not only that, it's a crutch. You're a noble of the night, aren't you? I know using your natural abilities must be tempting, but it will only harm you in the long run. The effects are more limited the stronger your target is, and don't you think polishing your charisma and being able to convince people to want to serve or help you rather than being a tyrant that forces the matter along with the ever-present risk of losing control would be much better?"
She hesitated a moment, then gave an uncertain nod in response. "Good, I'm sure you will be a splendid noble of the night in the future," I said with a warm smile and softly ruffled her hair before getting up to proceed further.
Only one of the bandits left now, and then I could give that damn snake a proper slapping for screwing me out of the nice and easy food bribery route—One that didn't result in making these girls cry.
Soon, the last of the bandits came into view. The small dragon stood around waiting, seemingly trying to maintain an intimidating posture.
"Ugah!" She... roared, I think? "I am Papi, the Heavenly Bandit of Fire! I will take revenge for what you've done to my friends!"
"I didn't really do much to them at all. Come on, can't we talk this out? I have some ice cream if you'd like," I offered while dangling a small box of the icy treat before her.
She eyed it suspiciously, slowly extending her arms at first and then quickly shooting forward to pilfer it from my hands while still making sure to grasp it with only her palms to not cut it open.
Having safely secured her prize, she dashed a few meters away, her blue ponytail and her loincloth shaking with her steps. I winced at the sound of one of her scaled legs' claws screeching against the rocky ground in her hurry, but she seemed unbothered by it.
She ripped off the lid and began shoveling it into her mouth, keeping a wary eye on me the entire time, even as her tail happily smacked against the ground. I waited patiently for her to finish, not that it took long. The mini dragon stood back up with some cream still smeared along the sides of her mouth, which she quickly licked off. "Hah, stupid Hero. Did you think you could bribe me after all you did? You only bought yourself time; now taste my flames!"
She exhaled, and a few stray embers escaped her mouth, quickly sputtering and dying. "Huh?" She tried a few more times, but now, not even cinder accompanied her breath. "Why isn't it working!?"
I would have taken that moment to whistle innocently had it been part of my skill repertoire. Giving her ice cream, of all things, wasn't a coincidence; I wasn't exactly eager to find out if the Enrikan Clothing was flammable.
"Come on!" She tried again and again, not giving up despite lacking even a hint of fire. My eyebrows rose when her breath eventually fogged up and finally turned into a white mist. Papi's eyes lit up. "Ice Breath, finally!" She let out an elated giggle. "You did it now, you dumb Hero; your tricks are your undoing!"
She exhaled the white mist in my direction, and it quickly enveloped me; it was... refreshing. She would be nice to have for summer... or the desert... or the volcano... It was a shame the road ahead was so dangerous, or I might have chosen to drag her along rather than deliver her to Iliasburg.
I guess I would have to do with Alice's magic and hope she wouldn't accidentally turn me into a Luka-cicle with Frost Ozma; I would already have enough monsters trying to lick me without that.
Papi and I stared at each other. "I... might need to work on that a bit more," she conceded. "I'll just use my claws then!"
She thrust out her arm, and for the first time today, I pulled out Angel Halo. I didn't want to hurt her, but those claws would deal actual damage if they landed. Her swipes were slow, clumsy, and didn't even hold real weight behind them. There was no need to parry or deflect; simple blocking was enough to keep her at bay, which was a good thing as I would have had to improvise for the prior options.
Despite me not returning any attacks, she quickly grew frustrated with her lack of progress and created some distance. Her fuzzy brows furrowed in thought momentarily before her lips turned into a grin, and she held out a crimson sphere.
My eyes snapped open, and I lashed out with Angel Halo in a desperate attempt to prevent what I all but knew to be inevitable from happening.
And yet, it didn't.
"Gah!" Papi cried out, and the sphere clattered to the ground and began rolling toward me. Still in disbelief, I picked it up and stared at it blankly as the panic and adrenaline ebbed away. Was that... the Red Orb? But... without the others, it was no more than a trinket; why did she...
I looked back up at Papi, who was clutching her arm, a long glowing cut running across its entirety. Several choked noises escaped her, followed by a heartrending wail.
"Oh crap; are you alright!?" I yelped and rushed over to her as what I did dawned on me. The only answer I received was more crying. I hastily pressed a Healing Herb to her injury and grimaced as it only made a few scrapes disappear; the cut was unaffected. Without killing intent, Angel Halo caused no physical wounds. She would be sealed as her mana leaked from the laceration, and I could do nothing. I had no items to restore mana; I didn't even remember any being sold.
"I'm... sorry," I whispered weakly as I held her and gently patted her head, but my voice was drowned out. All I could do for Papi now would be to keep her safe in her sealed form and ask Alice to return her to normal once she came back.
Papi's sobbing began growing fainter, and I thought that would be it, but then a black tendril reached out from the deepest part of the cavern. It touched Papi's arm. I had no idea what it was, but a minuscule amount of it was absorbed into her body, and the cut was gone instantly. It retracted back into the darkness just as suddenly as it appeared.
Papi roughly pushed away from me, having apparently regained her strength. "Boss is gonna get you, you jerk!" She yelled at me before running off.
I sat there briefly, confused by everything that had just occurred, and then I heard slithering. Teeny? No, she was in the other direction. But... Amira didn't have...
"You have done well to defeat my Four Heavenly Bandits," A young-sounding yet strangely familiar voice called out. "For what it is worth, I did not intend for things to become this... out of hand."
I groaned in realization. Man, my deductive reasoning had really fucked up today.
"I shall make amends later, but for the moment... Prepare yourself, Hero, for now, you face... The Bandit Lord!"
----------------------------------------
-Meanwhile, in Grand Noah-
Erubetie looked around the bustling streets. Men, human women, and a large variety of monsters, each group representing roughly a third of the population, went about their daily lives, mingling freely.
Some gaudily dressed human women and a slug girl excitedly whispering the latest gossip, including something about a 'Queen's Cup' to be held in about three months' time. Merchants of assorted species hawking their specialty wares. Men exchanged public, albeit usually chaste, displays of affection with their spouses, human or otherwise.
Most humans barely even glimpsed in her direction as she made her way to the castle, while monsters were quick to get out of her way. There were even some low-level slimes relaxing or playing near the cities' waterways. They stared at her as she passed, some in curiosity, some in recognition. But as much as she wished she could stop and inquire about their well-being, she had more pressing matters to attend to. It wasn't that they seemed to be suffering either, just the opposite, really.
Most would likely see the presence of these slimes as a good thing, but to her, it was just further proof of humanity's wickedness. Knowing well enough to keep their own water supply pure enough for even slimes to prosper, yet polluting and poisoning all around them. It was the epitome of selfishness.
She ascended the stairs to the castle, the uneven steps proving as little of an impediment to her as any other defensive measure they could have possibly come up with. As she arrived at the top, two soldiers were blocking the gate.
"Halt! State your business in the castle!" One of them demanded.
"I am the Queen of Slimes, Erubetie. I wish to talk with the Queen of Grand Noah concerning the survival of my species," Erubetie complied. She could have easily forced her way past them, but she had to maintain a veil of diplomacy for her goals; it would not do to be seen as the aggressor if a retelling of the story was invoked through the Eye of Truth.
And if these guards dared to actually turn her away at the gate... it would honestly save her a lot of time, even if it wouldn't be as effective as a rejection by the Queen herself.
The younger of the two blinked. "Do you... have an appointment?"
The other one turned to stare at him in disbelief before smacking him upside the head. "The hell do they teach you rookies these days!? Sure, she might not be as notorious as Granberia or Alma Elma, but the current Slime Queen is also one of the Four Heavenly Knights!" He scolded him, despite not recognizing her by sight either... maybe she had been shutting herself in Undine's Spring too much. "Go get Arthur; this is way above our pay grade," he added, making the younger man shoot her a wide-eyed look before quickly scurrying off.
She hadn't meant to invoke her title as a Knight, as this trip wasn't on the authority of the Monster Lord, but if her reputation preceded her, that was fine; she wasn't about to correct them.
Five quiet minutes later, a voice could be heard from inside the castle. "Why are you rushing like this? You did not even tell me who—" The words died in her mouth as she stepped past the gate and beheld Erubetie, and her jaw hit the floor... along with the rest of her head, as it dropped from her arms and began rolling down the stairs.
Extending a tendril of slime, Erubetie snatched it up and deposited it back in the Dullahan's hands, which just barely managed to keep a grasp on it.
"No need to lose your head, Arthur," Erubetie said stoically, even as a few dozen snickers and giggles sounded in her mind.
"Q-Queen Erubetie, I was... not expecting you," she stammered, followed by a rigid bow showcasing the purple flames that magically connected her head to the rest of her body.
"We have met before, have we not?" Erubetie asked. "At the time you asked Undine to enchant your sword."
"...I shall forever be in the Lady's debt for bestowing that boon upon me," she responded, still bowed without having moved a single muscle.
"Yet now you swing that same sword for a human monarch," Erubetie stated, her tone not accusatory, yet brooking no argument.
Arthur flinched slightly but did not release her posture. "Queen Noah has been good to me, and I do not believe any conflicts of interest exist between her, the Lady, or the Monster Lord."
"I see." Erubetie lifted her gaze from the Dullahan. "I have not come here today to judge you. I merely wished to speak to the Queen myself."
"Of course." Arthur straightened with evident relief. "Please follow me."
"...But should the time ever come, it would be best for you to be aware of where your true allegiance lies," Erubetie added as an afterthought. If everything went according to her plan, there would be no need for an actual confrontation, but one could never know for certain.
Arthur paused in her step. A gulp. "I will... remember that." The walk to the throne room was spent in silence; there was nothing more to say.
Erubetie was left to wait at the door as Arthur went to inform the Queen of her presence. A "Please enter." resounded from inside shortly after.
Arthur left as Erubetie entered; there was no need for her. Or rather, it was more accurate to say there was no point to her presence. And all of them knew it.
Queen Noah rose from her throne and lightly inclined her head in greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Erubetie." A lie. Erubetie could sense the fear radiating off of her. Yet, with her eyes, she saw no trace of it, the face of the Queen an unfaltering mask of a soft and amiable smile. It was a remarkable degree of poise for a human but not enough for Erubetie to reciprocate her gesture of respect.
"Grand Noah is open to all, and some of your brethren have already built a life here," She continued. "If you are amenable to the idea, I would be more than happy to further strengthen the bonds between races."
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," Erubetie repeated the fake pleasantry to maintain the illusion of diplomacy and paused a moment to consider how to continue without directly blaming humans. "But I am afraid I am not as optimistic about the future. Never mind friendship between races, as things are proceeding, there may soon no longer be a slime race. Pollution has driven countless slimes from their homes or outright killed them. Already, there are only two places left in the world that are still pure enough to accommodate newborn slimes... and before long, even those sanctuaries will become tainted."
Queen Noah's features sharpened. "That is dire news indeed. You have my word as the Tenth Queen of Grand Noah that I shall aid you in whatever way I can."
...What?
"Hah, told you!" A voice full of smug innocence exclaimed in Erubetie's mind.
And then the screaming started.
Voices, thousands of them. Shouts of anger, indignation, denial, disbelief... hope. They all clashed together in a dissonant cacophony threatening to make her head explode; if any of her own thoughts were mixed in, she was unable to hear them. Their combined weight pressed down on Erubetie's mind like a mountain, growing ever closer to crushing her and, by extension, themselves. In a colossal exertion of willpower, she shut them out, at least temporarily; it was the only choice.
For the first time in years, she was... alone.
"Are you alright?" Queen Noah asked with her obviously fake concern.
"I am fine," Erubetie glowered. "Let us talk specifics."
Her niceties, her words of friendship, her promises, they were all no more than lip service. Empty words meant to appease Erubetie. She would not fall for them. As soon as the Queen thought she could get away with it, she would renege on them. But Erubetie would be watching. She would gather evidence of their deception and betrayal for her Lord, and Alipheese would usher in a new era. An era of peace and prosperity, an era in which humans were no longer free to commit evil. All Erubetie had to do was to reveal their duplicity for what it was: a mere lie!
But it wasn't.